Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-10
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE SITUATION GETTING "NO
BETTER VERY FAST"
A Field Day" for Letters-Mayor
Gregory Suggests-President
Griffitts Responds.

the tyranny and iron hand of political
bossism, it is Sacramento, in the present
year of our Lord 1t is gratifying, how
ever, to observe that the utter confusion
into which the city government has been
plunged by the greed and supreme die
tatorship SO officiously and pointedly
thrust into the control of the Fire Depart
ment, and also thereby into the face of
every citizen, is awakening their compre-
| hension as to the real condition of affairs,
the manner in which the city is being gov
erned and promises to bear revolutionary
| fruit at an early day. If such be the re-
| suit, the bitter of the medicine may possi-
Dly be overlooked for the good II will
| eventually do.
| Yesterday was an active day concerning
the muddled situation. Everybody upon
street and in counting-room was discussing
| the subject, and the Mayor gave official at
tention to the matter by addressing letter
to the Fire Department, as follows;
LETTER FROM MAYOR GREGORY.
To the President and the Honorable Board
| Of Fire Commissioners, City Of ,Sacramlento-
GENTLEMEN In pursuance with an urgent
request of the citizens of this city and the
State Board of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. a
better system of protection than the present
unsettled state of the Fire Department war
rants-I deem it incumbent upon me to re-
quest that you Immediately regulate the
clash of authority now existing in the
office of Chief Engineer. The welfare OF
the city and the interests of the property
owners are of more Importance than the
consideration of either personal matters or
the question OF choice in the selection OF
that officer.
In the event of disagreement between the
members of your Board and the laws gov
erning the action and good intent of the
department-as in the present case-it is
not your prerogative nor province to per-
NIT any collision to occur whereby the
rights of the citizens-who pay literally for
the service and protection you are expected
to give-may become, in any manner jeop-
ardized.
If there is any necessity for litigation
whereby to demonstrate the priority of
claims to the Office of Chief Engineer, it is
requested, in the event mentioned, that
you Immediately place the department in
the hands of competent person until the
issue of such litigation demonstrates who
shall eventually fill the position
Hoping you will appreciate the import
ance and necessity for your prompt atten-
ton to the matter mentioned, remain, re-
spectfully yours,
EUGENE J. GREGORY, Mayor.
Sacramento, August g. 1887.
In response to the above the following
letter was received last evening from the
President of the Board of Fire Commits
sioners
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT GRIFFIrTs.
TO the Hon. Eugene J. Gregory, Mayor Of
,Sacramento-DEAR Sir: In the Bee of this
date there is a letter published over your
signature, addressed Ito the President and
Honorable Board of Fire Commissioners
of the city of Sacramento" in which you
state that in pursuance with an urgent re-
quest of the citizens of this city and the
State Board of Underwriters, demanding
better system of protection than the
present unsettled state of the Fire Depart
ment warrants, / deem it incumbent on
me to request that you Immediately regu-
late the clash of authority now existing in
the Office of the Chief Engineer"
In reply to the above l will state as a
matter of fact that at no time have the cit
liens been better protected from fire than
at present. 1t is noticeable that at every
fire that has occurred during the present
month the police force have been on hand
IN goodly numbers to assist the tiremen in
preserving order, preventing thefts, etc.,
and in one instance made an arrest for
driving over the hose, and which should
be done in every instance. There has been
little or no clashing, and there ieiH be no
collision between those in authority,
whereby the rights of the citizens (who
pay literally for the service and protection
ice are expected to give) may become in
any manner jeopardized.'
| would here state, by way of paren-
thesis, that the citizens will not have to pay
so literally for protection if the Board will
adopt the resolutions | offered at the last
meeting, and practice the same economy in
other things that prudent business man
would.
have advised Chief Sullivan to permit
everything to go alsng as smoothly as pos
sible until such time as the matter is set
tied in Court. There was no necessity for
such precipitate haste as was displayed by
some of the members and their friends, as
failure of the Board to elect simply con-
tinues the present incumbents in office un-
til their successors are elected. As You
suggest litigation, will state that any citi-
zen taxpayer has the right TO commence
suit at any time to determine who is Chief
Engineer; also, to test the legality of the
so-called special meeting" If there shall
| be another special meeting at the end of
! this month, and said meeting allows the
|
| election, shall take the initiative myself
and bring the case in Court promptly.
Thanking you for your suggestions,
which have no doubt were intended for
| the public good, am yours, respectfully,
| J. t. GRIFFITTs,
President Board of Fire Comm'rs.
| Sacramento, August 8, 1887.
From the above correspondence it will be
seen that no speedy solution of existing
difficulties is likely TO be reached. 1t could
be accomplished, however, in one way,
and that should be Immediately brought
about. If Mr.. Conran is physically dis
qualified to attend to the duties of Fire
| Com missioner, he should at once have his
| resignation forwarded to the President of
| the Board, or to the Governor, so that the
latter may appoint another Commissioner
| in his place, who is able to perform the
duties of the Office.
Mr.. Conran has sbeen very sick, and
able to attend but two meetings in the last
thirteen months. The last meeting at
| which he was present was last November,
and the last attendance prior to that was
one year ago last July. Why, then, should
he retain an office which affords no salary.
and when his continuance in it, and inca
pacity to attend to the duties, causes such
arrangement, as is now seen, in an i'm
portsnt branch of the municipal govern
ment.
A meeting of the Board should be called
at the usual and proper place for it to be
held and if Mr.. Conran's condition is not
such that he can be there, his resignatio,,
should be. If he is well enough to be taken
there and help transact the necessary busi-
ness, then whocrer is elected Chief, or to
any other office, will be duly and legally
elected, and the present humiliating and
damaging condition of affairs will be at an
end. If, however. Mr.. Conran can
not be present at such meeting,
then let his resignation be forthcom-
ing, and, if necessary. let the Mayor
and the people ask for his resignation
When his resignation has been submitted
and the Governor appoints successor
whoever he may be-then full meeting
: of the Board can be held and officers elected
and no one will for minute demur to such
choice, whether it be present incumbents
or total strangers, only SO that they are
properly elected.
Pending the contest for the office oi